Questions
What is a Soccer Scholarship?
An athletic scholarship is an award given out by College's/Universities in the USA to talented athletes who can come in and make an impact in one of their sports teams. The cost of attending College can be very expensive; therefore an athletic scholarship will help to cover the costs.
Here are some examples of Pro players who learned their trade in the USA College Leagues.
- Bobby Convey - Reading FC
- Brian McBride - Fulham FC
- David Weir - Rangers FC
- Eddie Lewis - Leeds United FC
- Santiago Solari - Inter Milan FC
- Ryan Nelson - Blackburn Rovers FC
- Stern John - Sunderland FC
- Brad Friedel - Blackburn Rovers FC
- Carlos Bocanegra - Fulham FC
- Paul Stalteri - Tottenham Hotspur FC
What is the difference between College and University in the USA?
None. In the USA the terms 'College' and 'University' mean virtually the same thing. Both College's and Universities offer 4 year degrees and both have equal standing in the USA.
Who qualifies for a Scholarship?
Only the best young players will be considered for a scholarship. If you have been at an Academy, Centre of Excellence, ECFA College, International Schoolboy or if you have represented your County/District side then we will be able to help you.
How much will I receive if I gain a scholarship?
Scholarships are awarded on a percentage basis from 0% to 100%. It costs anywhere between £10,000 -£30,000 to attend a college in the US.
If you receive a scholarship award it will cover some of the costs of attending the college.
A FULL scholarship means that the college will pay for your tuition (which is the largest part of the award) accommodation, food, books and fees. Only the very best players receive a full scholarship in their first year.
A 75% scholarship means that the College will cover 75% of your costs leaving you to pay the remaining 25%. An award of this amount is typical, especially for first year students. In your second year this award may well be increased if you make an impact in the first season.
What is the difference between NCAA and NAIA?
They have different Academic criteria and rules for entry.NAIA are normally smaller private institutions.
In terms of soccer, the difference at the top level in standards is very little. A lot of the NAIA teams are very strong and could compete quite easily in the NCAA.
The main thing that sets the NCAA apart from the NAIA is that most NCAA D1 colleges have a very large student popultation, some such as Ohio State have more than 40,000 students!
Compare this to the NAIA where the average number of students is roughly 2,000.
Who decides whether I am accepted onto the 'Scholarship Programme'?
First of all you should fill in a free online application form. We will then review this and if we feel that you have a chance of gaining a Soccer Scholarship to the USA we will invite you to one of our regional assessment days in Manchester, London or Glasgow.
What is life like as a Student Athlete?
As a Student-Athlete you will have an opportunity that very few others will ever receive: the chance to develop your football career with full time training AND the chance to earn an invaluable academic qualification.
Typically you will train every morning for a few hours during season.
You will then go to classes in the afternoon. In your first year all students go to the same classes, these are general classes such as Maths, English, Science etc.
After dinner you may be required for more training or you and your team-mates may go to the College gym to do some extra fitness work.
You will also have at least 2 games every week in season. One of these games will probably be an away match. Depending on how far away the opposition is you may have to travel for several hours. Most teams travel by luxury bus to away games, although some of the bigger teams transport their players by plane!
In your free time,if you have any,you can pretty much do as you wish,going to the beach, going to the cinema or watching one of the other varsity sports teams play at the College.
What subjects am I allowed to study?
You can study ANYTHING! Sports Science, Law, Computing and Business as long as you have the ability to undertake such a course.
There is no limit to what you can study, provided the College is running the course that you wish to study. If accepted on our 'Scholarship Programme' at Soccer Icon USA, we will match both your academic abilities and your athletic abilities to a College that will help you to achieve BOTH your goals.
Do I have to sit an exam? YES
The SAT test is owned worldwide by www.Collegeboard.com
No scholarship company has ANY rights to the test.
Some scholarship companies pretend to OWN the rights to facilitate the test........
Some scholarship companies are also claiming to be registered charities!!
Please do your research before you finally decide who is going to assist you with the process.
Soccer Icon USA is the most transparent company in this field.
Ask us a question and we will answer it !!!
The SAT is used by US Colleges/Universities use to assess your academic skills.
This is something that Soccer Icon USA can advise you by providing you with a Step-by-Step guide to registering and preparing for the SAT.
Remember, www.collegeboard.com own all rights to the test. It can be taken at several institutions in the UK.
There are 6 SAT exams per calender year.January, May, June, October, November and December.
It costs around $60 or £30 to take.You can take the test more than once.
Is there a lot of paperwork to be completed?
Unfortunately there is a lot of paperwork that needs be completed. However, we at Soccer Icon USA have years of experience in dealing with these details and will make the whole process as simple as possible by guiding you through the process if you are successful in gaining a place on our 'Scholarship Programme'.